How to Get Hyperlocal Forecasts

How to get a more precise forecast for your own backyard

Forecasts in most cities are determined by readings from a NOAA-approved weather station, usually at the nearest airport. Depending on your location, that distance could be the difference between a partly cloudy 65 degrees and a sunny 80. You can do better.

A personal weather station like Davis’s Vantage Pro2 series (from $495) includes a rain collector, a temperature gauge, a humidity sensor, an anemometer for wind speed, and add-on upgrades like a UV-level indicator (to help assess how much sunscreen you’ll need) and a wireless soil-moisture sensor (for your tomatoes). The real bonus is that you can check your data remotely with Weather Underground’s smartphone app.